Helian Jue frowned slightly. He couldn't understand why Concubine Zhuang appeared in Ganning Palace.

The palace servant guarding the gate was about to pass on the message when Helian Jue stopped him with a look.

Helian Jue walked slowly into the inner hall. Qin Yanning was leaning on the couch playing chess, and the person she was playing against was Concubine Zhuang.

Both of them had smiles on their faces, and Qin Yanning had two sour plums stuffed in his mouth, making his whole face round and plump.

Seeing Helian Jue coming, Qin Yanning and Concubine Zhuang hurriedly stood up to salute, but were stopped by Helian Jue.

"You are pregnant, why are you still concerned about the etiquette?" Helian Jue helped Qin Yanning sit on the couch and turned to look at Concubine Zhuang.

"Princess Zhuang, please sit down too. You saved my life in the northern border back then. I exempted you from the etiquette a long time ago, but you refused to listen."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Zhuang sat back down, smiled faintly, and said, "My father once told me that etiquette must not be abandoned. Moreover, Your Majesty was a prince back then, so saving you is my duty."

When Helian Jue heard Concubine Zhuang mention her father, he also became interested. When he was serving in the army in the northern border, he was under the command of General Zhuang.

"In July this year, General Zhuang and your brother should go to the capital together to report on their work. I will allow you to go home to visit your family then." Helian Jue said after a moment's thought.

The northern border is bitterly cold, and the more winter it gets, the more one has to guard against the barbarians attacking the border cities for food. Therefore, the generals in the north usually choose to return to Beijing in the summer to report on their work.

Hearing Helian Jue say this, Concubine Zhuang couldn't help but smile. Although she could ask for permission to let her mother come to the palace to see her a few times every year, she really hadn't seen her father for a long time.

There have been frequent wars in the north, and in previous years my brother would return to Beijing to report on his work. I didn’t expect that my father would come back with me this year.

Moreover, visiting her parents is different from having her family come to the palace to pay her respects. She can stay at home for a few days.

"I thank Your Majesty for your grace." This reward from Helian Jue really touched Concubine Zhuang's heart, and she sincerely thanked Helian Jue.

"If anyone should thank anyone, it should be Ning'er. She was the one who brought this up with me."

Lady Ning mentioned this? Concubine Zhuang looked at Qin Yanning in confusion.

When Qin Yanning was seen by the beautiful and heroic Concubine Zhuang, he felt a little embarrassed.

"Ning'er wanted to thank Concubine Zhuang for saving her life, but she also felt that she probably had enough of those mundane things, so she dared to bring this up with His Majesty."

After knowing Qin Yanning's thoughts, Concubine Zhuang felt a little closer to her and took the initiative to talk to Qin Yanning about her past in the northern border.

Your Majesty's favorite concubine is truly sincere and lovely, and has a kind heart.

That morning, she asked the senior palace maid to deliver two fox skins to Qin Yanning. Not long after, she returned with two fine oriental pearls and specially invited her to the Ganning Palace for tea.

It turned out that there was such a happy event waiting for her.

If she were a man, she would probably also be attracted to such a beautiful and kind woman.

Thinking of this, Concubine Zhuang's eyes softened a little when she looked at Qin Yanning.

Helian Jue naturally noticed the change in Concubine Zhuang's attitude towards Qin Yanning, and he knew that his Ning'er was likable.

She had only been in the palace for a few days, and even the usually cold-hearted Concubine Zhuang looked at her differently.

However, Helian Jue still felt a little jealous, but he also did not ignore Qin Yanning's shining eyes when Concubine Zhuang talked about her story of marching and fighting in the northern border.

After lunch, Concubine Zhuang could no longer bear Helian Jue's glare, so she found an excuse to leave.

Seeing Concubine Zhuang leave, Helian Jue hugged Qin Yanning into his arms, pinched her nose and said with a smile: "I didn't know that Ning'er and Concubine Zhuang had such a good relationship."

Qin Yanning snorted and said, "It's because His Majesty doesn't allow me to go out, and Ning'er has nothing to do, so I thought of inviting Sister Zhuangfei to chat."

"Ning'er has heard a long time ago that Concubine Zhuang was once a famous female general in the northern border."

When Helian Jue heard Qin Yanning say this, he felt a little helpless. He did give an order that Ning'er could not be allowed to go out for a walk when he was not around.

After all, Ning'er was pregnant with his first and possibly only child, so he had no choice but to be careful and cautious.

Helian Jue didn't expect that his Ning'er couldn't sit still on the first day.

However, when he thought of Qin Yanning's childish nature, Helian Jue felt relieved again.

Right now, he was holding Qin Yanning back from going out, which was why she was so playful. When he finally let her go, she probably wouldn't want to go out anymore.

It has to be said that Helian Jue grasped Qin Yanning's rebellious thoughts very thoroughly.

Thinking of what the imperial physician and the empress dowager had said about being obedient, and then looking at the cute and lovely Qin Yanning in his arms, how could Helian Jue bear to make her unhappy?

He said, "Since you like Concubine Zhuang, there's no harm in spending more time with her. Among all the concubines in the harem, Concubine Zhuang is indeed the most charismatic."

"If you want to go out and relax, I can accompany you to the Imperial Garden after court every day. How about that?"

Qin Yanning then laughed.

"However, Ning'er asked for Concubine Zhuang's permission to go home to visit her parents last night. Does Ning'er miss her parents too?"

Qin Yanning was naturally concerned about how the Qin family was doing now. When she heard Helian Jue ask this, she immediately nodded.

Helian Jue pondered for a moment and said, "Prime Minister Wan's private soldiers have been fully taken over by the Jingjiao Arms Battalion. Your parents don't have to worry about the Wan family finding excuses to come and cause trouble. I guess they should have gone to the farm I awarded them."

"You are now pregnant, so you are absolutely not allowed to visit your parents. Ordinary men are not allowed to enter the harem. Wait a few days, I will arrange for your mother and your sister-in-law to bring your nephew to the palace to see how you are doing."

Helian Jue had asked Eunuch Wang to investigate the situation of the Qin family a long time ago. He knew that Qin's eldest sister-in-law was a kind person and was very good to Qin Yanning, so he suggested that she go to the palace with him to see Qin Yanning.

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